Beauty

How to contour in real life, not just on Instagram

The very best products, tools and rules to stick to

By
Jacqueline Kilikita November 13, 2017

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There's something about the word 'contouring' that instils fear in even the most make-up savvy among us. While the Kardashians and their glam teams, including the talented Mario Dedivanovic, Joyce Bonelli and Hrush Achemyan, make it look super-easy on Instagram, they rarely give us the lowdown on which products work best for certain skin tones or types, which tools (and there are hundreds) are best suited to our skills (or lack thereof), and whether there is such a thing as too much concealer.

NB. There isn't.

So, whether you're after a set of cheekbones razor sharp enough to give Kate Moss a run for her money, or simply want to define what you've already got without too much effort (or having to buy another IKEA cube to store your sculpting stash - Kylie Jenner, we're looking at you) this is exactly how to do it.

2. To cheat your way to chiselled cheekbones, simply suck in your cheeks, and using the angled brush, buff the darkest powder into the hollows using swift back and forth motions.

TOP TIP: Be sure to tap your brush to get rid of the excess powder to make blending easier.

3. If you want to make your forehead appear smaller, dust the darker powder up into your hairline until blended seamlessly. Using the same brush, bring the powder down towards your temples. This has a slimming effect on your face.

4. Define your jawline and slim down your neck by brushing the darker powder along the length of your jaw and around your chin. Just be sure to blend downwards using swift motions to create that flawless shadow.

5. If you're using a palette that boasts a lighter powder or a highlighter, use a separate, smaller brush to dust a little along the tops of your cheekbones to bring them forward.

Remember: Bronzing powders can sometimes appear a little too dark, so those with fair skin should invest in Rodial's Instaglam Compact Deluxe Contouring Powder. When buffed into the hollows of the cheeks, the celebrity make-up artist favourite which boasts nude and taupe undertones, provides a convincing shadow without the dreaded orange tinge.

TOP TIP: If you have dry skin, it may be best to steer clear of powder products altogether, as they'll only accentuate blemishes.

If you want your look to last way past Happy Hour, you need to incorporate heavier, creamier textures into your contouring routine as they tend to cling to the skin for longer. If you consider yourself a pro, reach for a palette. For those with less of a steady hand, opt for foundation and concealer sticks which are much easier to handle.

1. After applying foundation, choose a contour colour two shades darker than your base and a concealer at least one shade lighter, to highlight.

2. Start off with the lighter shade which should be applied to areas of the face you'd like to slim down. To create dimension, draw an upside down triangle underneath your lower lash line (this should extend down to the centre of your cheek) and fill in — repeat on the other side. Dot a little concealer down the centre of your nose and take it upwards towards the centre of your forehead — then draw three lines, almost like tree branches, that stop an inch short of your hairline. Resist the urge to blend!

3. To create the illusion of prominent cheekbones, move on to the darker shade. Start at the top of your ear and visualise a line coming down towards your cheekbone – draw or paint this line and stop where your pupil is to avoid the overly sculpted look. The thickest part of the line should be closest to the ear and the thinnest part towards the mouth — it should look almost tapered.

4. Creams are best if you want to contour your nose. Using a small angled brush, start at the inner corners of your eyebrows and paint a thin line down towards the tip. Repeat on the other side of your nose.

5. The last step is to blend everything together with your dampened sponge. Starting with the lighter hues, use gentle tapping motions as not to move the product around too much. Your main aim is to lift your contours, not drag them down.

Remember: If you opt for a palette, rather than sticks, paint each shade on to the skin using a flat brush— the bristles are densely packed together and therefore, hold more product than anything fluffier. Blend the creams into the skin using a dampened sponge, but be sure to squeeze all of the water out before taking it to your face so you don't dilute or move the product around too much.

3. Special occasion contour: the contour that shows up in pictures

"If you're at a special event and want your make-up to show up in pictures, you need to invest in both cream and powder products to intensify the look," says MAC make-up artist Lisa Henderson.

While it may not be a new trend, 'baking' aka dusting the face with loose powder after contouring and highlighting with cream products, sets that make-up in place for longer.

2. If you want your cheekbones to really pop, reverse the steps. Taking the darker cream, define your cheekbones using the tapered line method and draw or paint a series of dashes or dots just below your hairline. Continue to draw a line along the length of your jaw and repeat step four (above) to slim down your nose.

3. Using the Artis brush, blend this into the skin using swift but gentle buffing motions and layer over these areas with a powder bronzer in a similar hue. Using a fluffy brush, swirl the bronzer up to the apples of your cheeks for a natural glow.

4. With your concealer, start to highlight underneath your eyes (using the aforementioned upside down triangle method) and continue to apply a little down the centre of your nose and in the centre of your forehead. Using a dampened sponge, blend this into the skin and repeat this step again.

5. Plunge your damp sponge into the loose powder, tap off the excess and apply underneath your eyes, down the centre of your nose and forehead and upon your chin - where you applied the lighter cream. Wait for a total of ten minutes - the heat from your face will help mesh the concealer and powder together, then, using a powder brush, simply dust the powder away.

6. If you're after razor sharp face structure, adorn the tops of your cheekbones and the tip of your nose with an iridescent highlighter. Dust this on with a large fan brush to prevent falling shimmer debris.

Remember: If you have dark skin, be sure not to choose any shades with yellow undertones to highlight with, as they can drain the skin of colour. Kat Von D have a plethora of palettes to suit darker skin tones and Sleek's award winning contour kit comes in four shades, with six creams to mix and match.